Page 76 of Best Served Hot

Nicole told Lena the whole story. The PG version, anyway. She left out the sexy bits, though she explained briefly that she was in love with Alex, ignoring Lena’s eye roll. And then Nicole got to the end of the story, the party, and she stopped.

‘What’s the third act of this thing?’ Lena asked. ‘You said something happened. The wrap party.’

‘Yes, but I’m not sure I can tell you that part. That could get me in trouble. Or rather, Alex,’ Nicole said.

Lena took a deep breath. ‘If you tell me what you’re leaving out, I’ll tell you whatI’mleaving out.’

Nicole raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh?’

‘Could be the same thing,’ Lena said.

‘Yeah?’

‘Could be something about late-night phone calls heard through bathroom doors with shady banker types about offshore accounts,’ Lena said quickly.

Nicole’s other eyebrow joined its twin at the top of their arch. ‘Maybe itisthe same thing,’ she said. She decided to take a chance. ‘OK, Lena. Let’s talk about the wrap party. And after that, I’m gonna need a favour.’

‘It doesn’t involve Alex, does it?’ Lena asked.

Nicole gave her a dry smile. ‘Sorry, yes. But I think you just became friends through a common enemy.’

‘I was afraid of that,’ Lena sighed.

‘Problem is, we can’t ring her directly. So I’m not sure…’

‘Oh, don’t worry about that. I can get to her through Kendall, an extra degree of separation to be on the safe side. I’ve still got all the actors’ numbers,’ Lena suggested.

‘Get to her through Kendall?’ Nicole asked.

‘Yeah, it’s all over her Insta.’

‘What is?’ Nicole asked hopefully.

‘The movie they’re shooting together.’

Nicole’s mouth spread into a slow smile. ‘She’s doing it.’

Lena nodded. ‘They’re at those shitty offices on Tap Street.’

‘How do you know that?’

Lena got out her phone, tapped around for a second, and then showed her the photo of Kendall and Alex side by side. The caption read:Preproduction commenced with hot new director Alex Torrence on CHAINED. Excited! #ProducingAndStarring

In the background of the photo was a dingy building, pretty nondescript.

‘I know that building because I used to work around there before I gotFoundations,’ Lena told her.

‘And you’d call Kendall?’ Nicole thought it over. ‘That isveryindirect. Could actually be safe.’ She took a deep breath. ‘OK. Make the call.’

***

‘Alex told me to fuck off,’ Lena said without surprise, putting the phone down.

Nicole wasn’t enormously shocked. ‘Then you have to go and see her in person. I still think that’s a safe enough method of communication. Ethan would never think I’d try this through you.’

‘I don’t know. What if she just tells me to fuck off in person?’ Lena pointed out.

‘You have to try. We need her.’